M-1 Challenge 25 Adds Magalhaes-Nemkov LHW Title Bout

Vinny Magalhaes will vie for M-1 gold on April 28. | Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com

M-1
Global officially announced Tuesday the addition of another
title confrontation at
M-1 Challenge 25, taking place April 28 at the Ice Palace in
St. Petersburg, Russia.

Headlined by a welterweight championship bout between champion
Shamil
Zavurov and challenger Rashid
Magomedov, M-1 Challenge 25 will now also feature a fight for
the vacant light heavyweight title, as former “Ultimate Fighter”
Season 8 finalist Vinny
Magalhaes locks horns with sambo specialist Viktor
Nemkov.

“We’ve been impressed with how Magalhaes and Nemkov have been
performing in their last outings. This has been a fight we’ve been
looking to put together for a while and with both fighters healthy
and on solid winning streaks, this matchup made sense to make
happen sooner than later,” said Evgeni Kogan, director of
operations for M-1 Global. “Both men have been vocal about wanting
a title shot, and now they will meet to determine our light
heavyweight champ.”

Magalhaes rides a three-fight winning streak heading into the bout.
A decorated jiu-jitsu player, the Brazilian owns six of his seven
career wins by submission.

A product of the Red Devil Sport Club, Nemkov has also won three
straight bouts. A gold medalist in the 2011 Combat Sambo World
Championships, the 24-year-old has finished all but one of his
career victims through his three-year pro career.